The father-of-two has since decided to take a stand by adorning his cafe with anti-racism and equality messages, and has since renamed the business to the Sea Cafe Coffee Shop.

He said: “This is the start of my oneness campaign which is all about celebrating our differences.

“It is taking the whole concept of diversity, and saying it is a normal reality rather than a problem.

“I have had this idea for about a year now. But when I heard about the nickname for my café, it brought the idea more to the forefront.”

The Sea Cafe Coffee Shop has been decorated with anti-racism and equality messages

Mr St Ange, who moved to Deal from West Norwood, London, 17 years ago, also said he was also racially attacked last year but decided not to report it to the police.

He said: “I don’t have a hard time. But after an attack, which I didn’t want to go to the police about, it sowed the seed of a high need to highlight this issue.

'Racism is real and it needs to be faced down'

“Racism is real and it needs to be faced down. We can’t afford to ignore it, and we can’t stop trying to remind people that we are all part of the same thing.”

The decorations outside his cafe signs reading "oneness of love knows no colour", which shows two black and white arms shaking hands.

Mr St Ange has also displayed religious symbols and a gay pride flag to show tolerance of people's sexuality and different religions.

Pete St Ange, from West Norwood, owns the Sea Cafe on the Green in Walmer

Speaking last month, he said: “I have directly come across racism on a personal level. I was handed a note from one of my customers that told me there is some locals that don’t come to the café because its nicknamed the w** on the bog, with it being an ex-toilet building.

“My customer was crying and couldn’t say it so he wrote it down, and passed me a piece of paper.

“There are worse things to be called, but it’s the connotations around it.

“It can be seen as a bit of banter and a bit of a laugh, but I feel this is possibly harming my business."

The 55-year-old now hopes to give talks in schools about "accepting differences", and will be speaking at anti-racism workshop Calling Time on Racism in Ramsgate.

He also hopes to turn his cafe into a place where people can report racial and religious hatred.